Google docs now works offline with Google Gears
By Matt Jansen
Google is taking a step deeper into Microsoft’s turf by designing web applications that are functional in the offline world. Though with this initial launch, only the word processor in Google Docs will work offline, more is sure to follow.
Offline functionality certainly something users have been waiting for, and Google Gears looks to be a promising solution. Philip Tucker, Software Engineer at Google Docs writes “with Google Docs offline (powered by Google Gears), I can take my little piece of the cloud with me wherever I go. Once enabled, I have a local version of my document list and editors, along with my documents.”
Some functionality is lost offline, but core editing features are available:
As long as I have an Internet connection, every change I make is saved to the cloud. When I lose my connection, I sacrifice some features, but I can still access my documents (for this initial release, you can view and edit word processing documents; right now we don’t support offline access to presentations or spreadsheets - see our help center for details). Everything I need is saved locally. And I do everything through my web browser, even when I’m offline (the goodness that Google Gears provides). When my connection comes back, my documents sync up again with the server.
[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7cyHYEfpRVA[/youtube]
This is great news, but the real power with Google Gears will be when it operates on a plethora of mobile operating systems, right now it supports Windows Mobile 5 and 6 devices.
Google knows that: “mobile devices are, by their nature, often disconnected from the network. Even when connected, the latencies in data connections in mobile networks can make web applications sluggish. Google Gears gives developers the tools to overcome these obstacles.”
A mobile device with a fully functional Google Docs suite that works online or offline, with an integrated full-sized projected keyboard would be a killer productivity device.
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